ARRACACHA, ARACACHA, ARRA CACIA, ar-ri-ka'cha, a number of plants be longing to the genus Arracacia of the Umbelli ferr family, all of which have tuberous roots, which are used by the natives of the uplands of Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Chile as a food. They boil the arracacha and use it as potatoes are used in other countries. The roots, which are divided into a number of parts resembling large carrots, which often take the shape of cow's horns, have a flavor somewhat like parsnips. They are lighter and more palatable than the potato; and they are said to contain more nutriment and to be more digestible. The edible arracacha goes under various designations and even botanists have given it different names, the principal of which are conium arracacha, arracacha escu lents and arracacha or arracacia xanthorriza. The has also a variety of native names ac cording to the district in which it is grown. The esculenta variety, which is cultivated ex tensively in Peru, is known in the English market under the name of the Peruvian carrot. Another variety is grown in the West Indies where it is extensively cultivated and used as an article of food. Some authorities say it is a native of Jamaica, while others assert that the West Indies variety was transplanted there from the mainland. A liquor for the treat ment of stomach diseases is also manufactured from the arracacha. In appearance the plant has all the marks of the umbelliferae family; it is from two to three feet in height and has deeply indented, symmetrical, dark-green leaves and yellowish or dull purple flowers which occur in compound umbels. The arra
cacha, on account of its prolific growth and its excellent food qualities, was at one time strongly recommended as a substitute for potatoes. Sir William Hooker of the Royal Horticultural Society of England was mainly instrumental in its introduction into Great Britain. The Messrs. Vimorin introduced it into France, cultivated it themselves and in duced others to do the same; and Alph de Can dolle advocated its cultivation in Switzerland. But all the attempts were failures, as the plant did not grow fast enough to mature before the frost came and killed it; for it requires somewhat warm climatic conditions, more or less evenness of temperature and the unusual conditions that are found on the upland plateaus of the Andes, where the air is, on an average, about one-third lighter than at the level of the sea-coast lands. These conditions include almost constant sunshine and plenty of moisture, never excessive yet constant. The arracacha grows in deep, loose soil and is generally propagated by means of shoots from the crown of the root. In all, more than a dozen species are said to exist throughout the long length of the Andes.